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Of course, that didn’t necessarily hed ‘I accept your word, and won’t ask for more unless the current situation dictates otherwise But I will have to tell Coppelia about this, Kai I can’t keep it secret’

‘I’d expect that,’ Kai said He raised his eyes to look nobly at the opposite wall ‘I would have known that you would report it, seeing as--’

‘Assuhtfully

Kai twitched ‘She can’t,’ he said, in a tone that was enuine conviction

‘If I can spot so odd in two days, then she can probably notice it in five years’ Irene stood up and patted Kai on the shoulder ‘Relax Now let’s find this secret door I’ll check the cabinets on this wall, you check the shelves on that wall’

She could hear Kaibehind her as she walked across to check the ranks of cabinets They were full of carefully pinned-down pages, shards of pottery, pens, quills, typewriters, and other bits and pieces that obviously hadn’t been dusted for at least a couple of years The locks on the cabinets were good, but the as dry and fragile Any serious thief (such as herself, on more than one occasion) would silass rather than trying to pick the lock

Kai sneezed

‘Found anything?’ she called across, not bothering to turn and look

‘Only dust,’ he said, and sneezed again

Irene went down on her hands and knees to check the botto for traces that they’d been et about confidentiality and go through the drawers of Do incriive the that, she and Kai could check with the British Library adain

‘If there’s that much dust,’ she called across, ‘then any secret doors should be fairly obvious’

‘It’s not just dust,’ Kai said He took a step Paused Took another step ‘There’s soave up on the cabinets, and pulled herself to her feet, brushing off her skirt ‘What is it?’

Kai sniffed ‘I’m not sure Spicy Salty So the bookcases, sniffing again

She followed hi secret doors

‘Got it!’ Kai leaned in and pointed at the small cabinet at the end of the shelves Half a dozen volu were piled on top of it, but the actual door of the cabinet was accessible, if locked